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Chapter 5 & 7 Test

True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
 

 1. 
Congress can override a presidential veto by a 2/5 majority in both chambers.
 
 
“The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United
States. . . .”
—United States Constitution: Article I, Section 8
 

 2. 
Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power to protect the United States.     
 
 
Figure 1
nar005-1.jpg
 

 3. 
The cartoonist is commenting on the many different influences on lawmakers and how these influences might affect their voting.
 
 
“I learned soon after coming to Washington,” a Missouri lawmaker once said,“that it was just as important to get a certain document for somebody back home as for some European diplomat—really, more important, because that little guy back home votes.”
—Missouri Lawmaker
 

 4. 
According to this lawmaker, an “Average Joe” citizen is as important—or more important—than a European diplomat.
 

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

 5. 
The United States Congress, which is made up of two houses, is a ___________
a.
constitutional legislature.
c.
reform legislature.
b.
bi-session legislature.
d.
bicameral legislature.
 

 6. 
This is NOT a qualification for election to the Senate.
a.
at least 30 years old
c.
married for 5 years
b.
legal resident of state of election
d.
a citizen for 9 years
 

 7. 
In Congress the majority and minority leaders are assisted by _________
a.
whips.
c.
the Speaker.
b.
the vice president.
d.
the president.
 

 8. 
The procedure where the Senate bills are brought to the floor is called _______
a.
formal rules.
c.
the Speaker.
b.
unanimous consent.
d.
the vice president.
 

 9. 
The standing committees of each house are controlled by _________
a.
the minority party.
c.
the majority leader.
b.
the minority leader.
d.
the majority party.
 

 10. 
This is NOT a qualification for election to the House of Representatives.
a.
at least 25 years old
c.
a citizen for 7 years
b.
a degree in law
d.
legal resident of state of election
 

 11. 
The process of setting up new congressional districts after reapportionment is called ________
a.
redistricting.
c.
bicameral legislature.
b.
gerrymandering.
d.
censuring.
 

 12. 
People in districts represented in Congress or in other elected offices are called _______
a.
a census.
c.
a quorum.
b.
constituents.
d.
a caucus.
 

 13. 
The presiding officer of the House of Representatives is the ______
a.
vice president.
c.
majority leader.
b.
majority whip.
d.
Speaker.
 

 14. 
The president of the Senate is the _______
a.
majority leader.
c.
vice president.
b.
minority leader.
d.
Speaker.
 

 15. 
A filibuster can be stopped when three-fifths of the Senate votes for _____
a.
a quorum.
c.
censure.
b.
a census.
d.
cloture.
 

 16. 
The power to write the rules in Congress is controlled by the _______
a.
vice president.
c.
majority party.
b.
minority party.
d.
Speaker.
 

 17. 
Which committee works to adapt House and Senate versions of bills?
a.
Standing
c.
Conference
b.
Select
d.
Joint
 

 18. 
Which committee is one of the key committees of the Senate along with the Foreign Relations Committee and the Appropriations Committee?
a.
Ways and Means
c.
Finance
b.
Rules
d.
Select Intelligence
 
 
Swings in Control of Congress

Figure 2
nar001-1.jpg
 

 19. 
During which time period did Democrats have the greatest hold on the Senate?
a.
1965–1967
c.
1921–1923
b.
2003–2005
d.
1937–1939
 

 20. 
Study the chart. During what period did Republicans hold the most seats in the House of Representatives?
a.
1937–1939
c.
1999–2001
b.
1921–1923
d.
1947–1949
 

 21. 
Why is knowing which party is in the majority important to understanding the US Congress?
a.
The majority party works for the President
c.
The majority party picks the minority party
b.
The majority party controls the legislative process
d.
The majority party and the Democratic Party are the same
 
 
“The Rules Committee is an agent of the leadership. It is what distinguishes us from the Senate, where the rules deliberately favor those who would delay. The rules of the House . . . permit a majority to work its will on legislation rather than allow it to be bottled up and stymied.”
—Speaker Jim Wright, 1987
 

 22. 
According to Speaker Jim Wright, which governmental body takes too long to make decisions or take action?
a.
Senate
c.
Supreme Court
b.
Rules Committee
d.
Attorney General’s Office
 

 23. 
To what government body does the author of the passage belong?
a.
the House Rules Committee
c.
Supreme Court
b.
the Senate
d.
Attorney General’s Office
 

 24. 
Almost all the important work on tax laws occurs in the ______
a.
Senate chambers.
c.
House Ways and Means Committee.
b.
appropriations bill.
d.
executive office.
 

 25. 
Which group tends to vote in favor of business?
a.
PACs
c.
lobbyists
b.
Republicans
d.
Democrats
 

 26. 
Which group tends to favor social-welfare programs.
a.
Republicans
c.
Democrats
b.
lobbyists
d.
political action committees (PACs)
 

 27. 
These are a source of federal money and jobs.
a.
lobbyists
c.
PACs
b.
federal grants and contracts
d.
taxes
 

 28. 
These bills deal with general matters and apply to the entire nation.
a.
public bills
c.
authorization bills
b.
private bills
d.
appropriations bills
 

 29. 
These bills deal with individual people or places.
a.
appropriations bills
c.
private bills
b.
public bills
d.
revenue bills
 

 30. 
The largest portion of the federal government's budget is spent on _________
a.
congressional salaries.
c.
government grants.
b.
foreign aid.
d.
uncontrollables.
 

 31. 
This is an example of an entitlement.
a.
property taxes
c.
national health care service
b.
Social Security
d.
license plate fees
 

 32. 
These committees have the power to cut budgets.
a.
appropriations committees
c.
revenue committees
b.
closed rule committees
d.
authorization committees
 

 33. 
Representatives of interest groups that work to influence Congress are called _________
a.
Republicans.
c.
lobbyists.
b.
party partisans.
d.
Democrats.
 

 34. 
Federal grants and contracts are very important to lawmakers and their districts because they bring in __________
a.
money and jobs.
c.
more votes.
b.
new people.
d.
presidential power.
 

 35. 
Through public-works bills, Congress appropriates billions of dollars for local projects that are often called ________
a.
PAC legislation.
c.
logrolling.
b.
pork-barrel legislation.
d.
private bills.
 
 
Figure 3
nar007-1.jpg
 

 36. 
In which year were the fewest public laws enacted?
a.
1996
c.
1981
b.
1995
d.
2001
 

 37. 
In which year were the most public laws enacted?
a.
2000
c.
1986
b.
1992
d.
1988
 

 38. 
Why do more laws get passed in even numbers of years than in odd years?
a.
wars start
c.
economic crisis
b.
presidential elections
d.
congressional election
 

 39. 
In which step of the legislative process for a bill to become a law does the House debate on the bill?
a.
Committee Action
c.
Floor Action
b.
Debate Committee
d.
Conference Action
 

 40. 
In which step of the lawmaking process in Congress do members of both chambers reach a compromise, sending the bill on for final approval?
a.
Committee Action
c.
Floor Action
b.
Approved Bill Sent to President
d.
Conference Action
 
 

Figure 4
nar008-1.jpg
 

 41. 
Which state received the most federal funding for defense in 1994?
a.
California
c.
Florida
b.
New York
d.
Texas
 

 42. 
Which state received the most money per person?
a.
Florida
c.
New York
b.
California
d.
Pennsylvania
 

 43. 
According to the graph, which state received the most federal funding in 1994?
a.
Texas
c.
New York
b.
Florida
d.
California
 

 44. 
How does federal funding help incumbent legislators get reelected?
a.
It pays for campaign expenses
c.
Federal funding demonstrates legislators help constituents
b.
Incumbent legislators come from California
d.
Federal funding is not evenly distributed
 
 
“Rightly or wrongly, we have become the link between the frustrated citizen and the very involved federal government in citizens’ lives. . . . We continually use more and more of our staff time to handle citizens’ complaints.”
—House Member
 

 45. 
The Congressional responsibility this House member is referring to is known as
a.
public works bills.
c.
logrolling.
b.
casework.
d.
pork-barrel legislation.
 
 
“I learned soon after coming to Washington,” a Missouri lawmaker once said, “that it was just as important to get a certain document for somebody back home as for some European diplomat—really, more important, because that little guy back home votes.”
—Missouri Lawmaker
 

 46. 
In this lawmaker’s opinion, this should be the most important influence on legislation.
a.
European diplomats
c.
powerful CEOs
b.
ordinary citizens
d.
government employees
 

 47. 
In this lawmaker’s opinion, the average citizen should be the most important person influencing legislation, namely because this individual ________
a.
knows the most about politics.
c.
votes.
b.
donates more money to campaigns.
d.
resists change.
 

Open-ended questions

Answer minimum of 3 questions below.  Use complete sentences. Begin with a topic sentence.  Support with 3 supporting sentences.  Include examples.  (6 points each)
 
 
Figure 5
nar003-1.jpg
 

 48. 
According to this cartoon, incumbents are difficult to defeat in congressional races. Why do you think this is so?
 

 49. 
What influences might cause a member of the House to vote against the wishes of the people in his or her district?  Provide 3 examples of influences on a legislator decision to vote on a piece of legislation.
 

 50. 
Explain why the House might be considered more representative of the people than the Senate. Provide examples why.
 
 
“It is much more material that there be a rule to go by, than what the rule is; that there may be a uniformity of proceeding in business not subject to the caprice [whims] of the Speaker or captiousness [criticisms] of the members.”
—Thomas Jefferson, 1797
 

 51. 
Jefferson states that the presence of rules in legislative decision making is more important than the rule itself. Why is this so?
 

 52. 
For what reasons do so few bills introduced into Congress ever become law? 

Explain the process how bills get selected to become laws.  Include at least 4 steps.
 



 
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